Longing
by Crescent Matrix
Summary: ON HIATUS. Xiao Lang and Mei Ling goes to the Shinobi Lands to find a year lost Sakura. Separated by an explosion, Xiao Lang finds himself as the Sandaime Hokage's secretary. As the temporary owner of the Sakura cards, will he find her?
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto or Cardcaptor Sakura. I own the plot. Yes the plot is mine! All mine! Buwahahaha--- *chokes*

**Text Legend:**

Narrator Text

_Dream Text_

"Spoken Text"

'Thought Text'

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**Longing – Prologue**

No one spoke. Only the low whirring of the plane engine broke the silence. Mei Ling looked at her cousin. There was irritation in his eyes, sad and anger. His chestnut brown hair, messy as it always was. He was playing with a silver penknife in his hands. Mei Ling brushed her hair with her hand, blankly staring at him, thinking deeply.

'He may not look like he has changed for the past two years, but he did. He changed a lot... a whole lot...' thought Mei Ling. 'I wonder if... Sakura...' Mei Ling's mind drifted somewhere else. Xiao Lang noticed his cousin staring at him as he shoved his penknife back inside his pocket.

"What is it, Mei Ling?" His voice was smooth, yet cold. He is as he was before he met her... the Cardcaptor, no wait, the Cardmistress. Mei Ling could feel his chocolate brown eyes pierce her and a shiver crossed down her spine.

"I-It's nothing, nothing at all!" She waved her hands frantically, and then scratched the back of her head. "I was only wondering when we were going to---" Her sentence never finished as a loud explosion was heard. The two felt their bodies tossed around like rag dolls, flying in nothing, then suddenly their sights went darker and darker, until everything faded into black.

Xiao Lang woke to the blurry blue sky. He couldn't move, couldn't feel a thing. His eyes traveled to the crackling sound of fire. His head whirred. 'What happened...?' And it is when fear flowed through his veins. 'The plane! Mei Ling! MEI LING!' He wanted to shout, but his throat was parched and no sound would come out even as he forced himself. His head screamed for him. The smoke was suffocating him, and slowly, brought him back to darkness.

* * *

**Author's Note**: I know, it's a short chapter. Well, prologues are supposed to be short, right? Um, so, yeah. Please read and review if you have the time!


	2. Chapter One

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Naruto or Cardcaptor Sakura. I own the plot. Yes the plot is mine! All mine! Buwahahaha--- *chokes*

**Text Legend:**

Narrator Text

_Dream Text_

"Spoken Text"

'Thought Text'

_**Flashback Text**_

* * *

**Longing – Chapter One**

* * *

"Ugh... my head..." he murmured. His eyes widened and Xiao Lang shot up from the crisp white covers of the bed. His mind whirred and he felt his head. It was covered with bandages. In fact, half of his body was covered with it. Around him, everything else was white, minus the purple flowers in a white vase on the bedside table. "Where in the world am I?" he muttered.

"Good morning, child." Xiao Lang looked at the direction of the door which was blocked by an old man with a white robe and a straw hat with the symbol of fire on it. The old man was accompanied by a Konoha chuunin. Xiao Lang stared at him in the silence, and the old man spoke again. "It is good that you are well and awake." the old man said as he sat down the chair present beside his bed.

"Where am I? And who are you?" Xiao Lang's voice croaked, demanding as it was. He spoke in Japanese as the old man spoken to him at first. The chuunin touched his right leg where his weapon pouch was, but the old man merely raised a hand and the ninja immediately backed down.

"You are in the hospital here in Konohagakure, the Country of Fire. I am merely an old man who knows the community." Xiao Lang raised a brow at him. The old man chuckled. "To put it simply, I am the Hokage, leader of this village and the representative of the Fire Country. Now that I have introduced myself, may I know who you are and where you have come from?" Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Sandaime Hokage, put his soft gaze upon the young lad. Xiao Lang hesitated, but answered anyway, looking cautiously at the ninja behind the Hokage.

"I am Li Xiao Lang from Hong Kong, China..."

"Hm, I see. I've been to Hong Kong once. The food is very exquisite!" the Sandaime laughed. "Well then, Xiao Lang, we found you near death in the forests surrounding Konoha. You were nearly burned by flames from---" Flames. Xiao Lang clearly remembered what had happened.

"Was there anyone else with me, anyone at all?"

"I'm afraid not, Xiao Lang." Xiao Lang stared blankly at the white wall.

'What happened to Mei Ling...?' he thought, very much worried about his dear cousin. Hiruzen continued.

"We did manage to recover some, if not all of your belongings." Two more chuunins entered the room, one holding a sword with a golden hilt that holds a Chinese emblem and a board with symbols, shaped like a six-pointed star. The other chuunin carried his duffel bags. There was none of Mei Ling's belongings, Xiao Lang noted. "Now please, could you tell me why you were traveling around this area?" Somehow, Xiao Lang's mind was thrusted with thoughts of Sakura, his Sakura.

"...searching for someone..." Hiruzen noticed the sadness on his face and decided to stop his questions regarding his purpose. He sensed no atrocity coming from this child, this young child.

"Very well, very well, Li Xiao Lang. You would be released from the hospital this afternoon. You have come to this village at quite a convenient time! In a month, the village will celebrate the Cherry Blossom Festival. And since you are a guest, would it be alright if you stay with my family and I?" Xiao Lang blinked thrice at the old man, confused to why he was so quickly trusted by the head of this village. Nonetheless, he nodded his head and smiled at the old man, who warmly smiled back at him. It's not like he can't refuse. He had no money if yuan was not this village's currency, and if he had no money, had no place to stay. He didn't have a plan either, but on that moment, he didn't mind.

* * *

"_Sakura..." Everywhere was black. Her name was whispered through the silence. _

"_Who are you?" Her throat felt hoarse as dried words left her peach-colored lips. "Who are you?" she called out again._

"_Sakura... Come back... to me..." She was frantic now. She couldn't see where the voice was coming from. She could hear her name from a voice that seemed to come from all around her. Then, before she could reply back, a boy appeared before her with hands outstretched towards her. _

"_Who...?" Her words trailed to a surprised silence as she stared at the boy. 'I know you...' She knew him. She tried to strain her mind to remember who he was, but couldn't as her own emerald pools locked with his deep amber ones. His dark brown hair hugged his face so delicately as though a slight breeze could shift it. A sad smile played on his lips accenting the furrowing of his brows. He seemed to glow, a soft white glow. Homely warmth radiated from him. She knew him very well. She had the sudden urge to reach for him, to lock him in an embrace, to place her lips lovingly on his own._

_But something was stopping her from doing so. Her back felt cold, so very cold. The boy whispered her name again, tears slowly running down his face. "Sakura... Why?" She didn't know "why". She didn't know what he was talking about. In her distracted trail of thoughts, she could see hand-like shadows gripping her arms, her legs, and her whole body. She tried to scream, to shout at the boy for help but a shadow covered her mouth. That darkness pulled her in, away from the boy. She tried to reach for him as tears began to form in her eyes._

'_Help me!' she thought hard. 'Please help me, Xiao---!' The void took over her._

_

* * *

_

Haruno Sakura woke up from what had seemed to be a nightmare or a dream, she couldn't decide. She could feel her heart beating fast over her erratic breathing. 'What the hell was that?!' Her first thought in the morning. Her eyes widened at the brightness that flooded in the room, then to the clock hanging over her door. 'It's nine-thirty already?! Oh shit! I'm late for training!' Truth be told, she was always the first person to arrive at the training grounds of Cell Seven. She never had to use an alarm clock as her 'body clock', as she puts it, was always set for her to wake up at five o'clock in the morning and if you try to wake her up earlier than that, well, you'd be surprised how hell can be experienced in her profanity. (Her profane language was usually expressed through gritted teeth during missions.

Sakura took a quick shower and changed into her training gear. Patching up her weapon pouch with a hand, the other was busy holding a brush against her hair. 'Damn it! I'm late! This is even later than Kakashi-sensei's usual arrival for training!' Cell Seven's training was usually scheduled at seven o'clock in the morning and Kakashi usually arrives at eight o'clock or so. She rushed down the stairs, got two pieces of toast from the kitchen table and gave a quick kiss to her mom who was sitting on the couch reading the newspaper. Haruno Komiko looked at her daughter with a brow raised. Sakura grimaced at her mother's stare and muttered a goodbye before rushing out of the door. Komiko chuckled as she shook her head. 'So much for being a single mom...'

The rosette-haired girl ran on the streets of Konoha groaning in frustration and mumbling about hating to be like her ever so tardy teacher. Nearing the turn of the street, she accelerated with a huff, till she hit something, or in this case, someone. The sound of papers flying in the air joined the sound of the impact. "O-ouch!" Sakura stood almost immediately and rubbed her bum. In her slight pain, she remembered that she had to go and blushed in embarrassment while bowing in apology to the person who was still on the ground. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm very sorry!" With the slight glance at her comrade in impact, she took off, leaving the young man to blink at her furthering form.

'Pink hair? I never saw one before...' Xiao Lang gave a slight chuckle at the thought before standing up to fix the papers on the ground. The Hokage had assigned him to deliver the papers to the Ninja Academy's head teacher. It had been a week since he had come here in Konohagakure, and he must say that it seemed very nostalgic staying with the Hokage and his family. They were friendly to him, especially the Hokage. Xiao Lang smiled at the thought of the Hokage. It was like having a father. His mood suddenly shifted. 'Father, huh?' He looked up at the graying clouds with a grimace, remembering the times his father's absence was just too much to bear. 'I need to act soon...' His face darkened by the thought. "Sakura... where are you?" He whispered to the air that could not answer.

* * *

_**Xiao Lang's eyes scanned the brightly lit room. He was in one of the guest rooms in the Hokage Tower which the Sandaime has offered him lodging for the rest of his probable long stay in Konohagakure. The walls were of a light shade of green as his bed and the curtains on the windows were of a deep forest green shade. A small round coffee table was near the bed with three chairs of black metal surrounding it. The bathroom was on the far side of the room. It was spacious, but Xiao Lang's trail of thought was not focused on the detailing of his given room. Xiao Lang sat on his soft bed, contemplating on the open green leather-bound book. **_

_**It wasn't exactly a book. He took the pile of what had been Sakura cards in his hands. Turning a card over, he looked hard on the golden magic circle. The background was no longer fully in the cherry blossom-colored as it once was. Instead, a shade of deep green swirled in lines around with it, covering almost a half of the card. The rest of the cards were the same. His hand was trembling and tears began to form behind his brown pools as his trail of thought went back to his Sakura. **_

"_**Sakura..." he whispered her name into the air. "Where did you go...?" There was a sudden knock on the door that pulled him from his thoughts. He put the cards back in the leather-bound book and hid it under his forest green pillow.**_

"_**Xiao-niisan?" a child's voice called him from outside his door. Somehow, the nickname was stuck to him as he met Hiruzen's grandson. The Sarutobi family, who consisted of only Hiruzen and his grandson, Konohamaru, began to call him so.**_

"_**Ah, come in." All hints of the harshness in his voice that he had back then was gone. He began to like children, although he was not entirely comfortable with them pulling his leg or asking him for candy. Konohamaru opened the door; his had still on the knob, and looked at Xiao Lang. Xiao Lang blinked at him. Konohamaru had taken a liking to him. After all, he was an only child and having a brother figure like Xiao Lang, who was a total opposite of his brother/boss, Naruto, he immediately figuratively latched on to Xiao Lang. "Hm? What is it, Konohamaru?"**_

"_**It's time for dinner, Xiao-niisan." With that, Xiao Lang stood from the bed and he and Konohamaru made their way to the Hokage's dining room.**_

"_**Hokage-sama, is there any possible means to earn some wages while on my stay here?" The three males were happily eating dinner. Konohamaru was playing with his food, poking the piece of meat with his chopsticks. 'Like a happy family, huh?' A smile graced Xiao Lang's lips as he looked at the father figure who was presently chewing his food.**_

"_**Well," Hiruzen swallowed. "I was thinking how nice it would be to have a permanent secretary."**_

"_**A s-secretary, Hokage-sama?" Xiao Lang wasn't too keen on being on a chair behind a table. 'But information of Mei Ling as well as Sakura may come up in being the Hokage's secretary.**_

"_**Hm, and besides being a secretary, my personal errands person!" Hiruzen said it with a happy grin on his face. "The salary pays well, or so I heard from my retired secretary, in this case, secretaries. You can start by tomorrow!" Hiruzen gave of another one of his grandfatherly laughs. Hiruzen remembered the day when Iruka, Kotetsu and Izumo had come to him altogether to 'retire' being his secretaries/errands people when they were never one to begin with. Little Iruka did say it paid well, though he had an academy to run. The other two wanted to train for the upcoming jounin exams at the time. He turned back to Xiao Lang's confused expression. "Oh, and just call me ojiisan, alright Xiao-kun?" His grandfatherly eyes sparkled in delight.**_

_**

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**_**Author's Note: **Um, well, I reformed chapter one. Somehow my obsessive compulsion disorder got in the way. I'm starting on chapter two again, beginning with Sakura going on to meet Cell Seven. I'm really sorry if you deem it short. I just couldn't think what proper content should be here. Well, off to the second chapter! I suppose you can expect it next year. It's been a whole week of celebrations for me as well as for my family. Comments and reviews will be much appreciated! If you have any suggestions as well, that would be nice. I don't mind productive criticisms as well as long as it doesn't go along the lines of flaming. Thank you very much and have a Merry Christmas!**  
**


	3. Chapter Two

**Disclaimer:** I still do not have Naruto or Cardcaptor Sakura in my hands, and I probably won't.

Text Legend:

Narrator Text

_Dream Text_

"Spoken Text"

'Thought Text'

_**Flashback Text**_

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**Longing – Chapter Two  
**

"Ah, thank you very much, Xiao Lang-kun! Without this, the students' parents would be complaining again." Umino Iruka said with a smile. Xiao Lang nodded as he said his goodbye, only to bump Konohamaru who was intently listening at their conversation.

"Oi, Xiao Lang-niisan! Ahahaha! Hello!" Konohamaru scratched the back of his head as he saw his chuunin teacher glare at him.

"Ko-no-ha-ma-RU! GET BACK TO CLASS! THAT'S CONSIDERED CUTTING, Y'KNOW?!" With that, Konohamaru stuck out his tongue to Iruka and ran back to where his supposed classroom was.

"Xiao-niisan! See ya later for dinner!" Konohamaru's voice trailed along the hallways and Iruka let out a cough of his embarrassment.

"Well, I'm glad you're getting comfortable here. It's only been a week since you came. I guess the Hokage is working you hard?" There was a small glint in Iruka's eyes as he looked at Xiao Lang's obviously confused orbs with a knowing smile. His smile got wider as flashes of him working for the Hokage crossed through his mind.

"Konoha is nice, you know, with the trees and all. The people are friendly, too, like you." Xiao Lang smiled back at him. "And I know I have to work hard because, well, I am working for the leader of this village." He let out a small laugh as Iruka started laughing with him as well. Iruka had been like his very own older brother since the first time he met him. He was nice and looked out for him sometimes and Xiao Lang was glad to have him around. Being a stranger in a country wasn't exactly the most comfortable situation to be in.

"You better work hard, Xiao-kun. And I think you should go now before new scrolls and piles of paper cover your desk." Iruka chuckled as Xiao Lang gulped. He had never seen how fast a desk was filled before. Once he started working as the Hokage's secretary and had finished what he thought was the last pile of work, few other piles as well as some mission scrolls were brought to him that once again covered his desk like he had just started to work. Xiao Lang groaned at that thought as he said his goodbye to Iruka and dragged himself out and into his paper hell.

Somewhere else in Konoha was a lone shadowed figure on a tree with whispered thoughts about the boy with chestnut-brown hair. 'I hope that you find what you're looking for, Xiao Lang-kun.' A chuckle followed.

* * *

Nine-fifty o' clock brought Haruno Sakura rushing straight across a bridge where they usually meet before going to the training grounds. 'Shit! And I slept early last night! What the hell is wrong with me today? I feel like something's... not right... But jeez! Why couldn't I be late _and_ get there _before_ Kakashi-sensei?!' Her thoughts then trailed to her supposed nightmare that morning. Mentally banging her head against a mental wall, she tried to remember what it was about and when she did, she mentally banged her head against the mental wall yet again for her dream's strangeness. 'That was a weird dream... I wonder if it means anything...'

Soon, she found herself nearing their training grounds as she heard the clang of kunai and then saw a furry of weapons heading straight to Naruto. Kakashi was comfortably sitting in a presently convenient log reading his dear Icha Icha. Sakura walked and sat beside him and not once did Kakashi look at her. She inwardly sighed as she crossed her legs and looked up at the sky, then back to the two boys training in a fury only seen in fights. 'It seems like I haven't been noticed yet by Sasuke-kun. And that Naruto...' Another inward sigh as she looked up at her teacher's giggly face buried in his book. 'I wonder what's so interesting about that book.' And as though he heard her mental thought, Kakashi looked straight into her emerald orbs and held out her book to her.

"Do you want to read it, Sakura-chan?" Sakura raised a brow at him.

"Will you let me, Kakashi-sensei?" With that, Kakashi returned the book back into his pocket.

"It's unusual for you to be late, Sakura-chan. Is there something I need to know?" Sakura looked back into her teacher's lone visible eye thoughtfully.

'Should I tell him about my dream? Well, it's just a dream. I don't have to tell him about this if it won't result into my lack of skills as a team leader. But as my friend, maybe I should. Besides, I'm still kind of troubled by that dream.' A nagging feeling came back to Sakura as she thought about her dream and she bit her lower lip before returning her eyes back to her teacher's. "It's nothing big, sensei. I just slept late last night. Sorry for being late, but then again, you were usually the one late. Anyway, Kakashi-sensei, how about my training?" Kakashi nodded in her direction before he stood up.

"Sasuke, Naruto, that's enough of going for each others' throats. Sakura-chan finally graced us with her presence." The two immediately stopped their spar and looked at Sakura, Naruto with sparkling happiness in his eyes and a goofy grin, and Sasuke with a scowl on his face.

"Oi! Sakura-chan! Where've you been? Teme and I were worried and thought it was the end of the world when Kakashi-sensei arrived on time and you were late!" Sasuke sent Naruto a glare and Sakura gaped at her teacher. Kakashi was on time for training?! Maybe it should've been the end of the world, but these things happen.

"_You _were early?!" Kakashi inwardly groaned at his cell's antics. Him being early can't be that ridiculous that it would never happen.

"Okay then, team. Sakura-chan, since you were late, you will be doing double your warm-ups. That means a hundred of each. And as for you two, you are free to go. But before you two go, I just want to say that there will be missions for us tomorrow."

"Lemme guess, Kakashi-sensei, baby-sitting, buying groceries, or pulling potatoes out of the ground?" With an accusing look, Naruto glared at Kakashi. So did Sasuke and Sakura. Kakashi scratched the back of his head and sighed. He knew they were going snap soon with the countless continuous D-Rank tasks that were set for them.

"All three, actually, plus finding Fire Daimyou's wife, Madame Shijimi, her lost cat Tora beforehand." Their glares intensified.

"Argh!" Naruto let out a groan of frustration. "I'm seriously going to talk to that old man! How long are we going to keep doing those lame stuff?! I'm going to talk to the old man tomorrow! Teme, Sakura-chan, are you with me?!"

"Hn..." Sasuke's angry intent was laced into his monosyllable reply. Sakura grimaced at the thought of doing another ridiculous task. They were trained to be ninja, not servants! Inner Sakura shouted profanity in her mind before she answered.

"I agree. We've been doing boring stuff. We can decline missions, right Kakashi-sensei?" She let out a sigh wondering if she would get in trouble, but enough was enough. All three looked intently at the pondering jounin's answer. "Well, Kakashi-sensei? Can we at least talk to the Hokage tomorrow?"

"That is fine. We, including me, will have a talk with the Hokage tomorrow morning. We meet at the bridge at nine. Training will be in the afternoon unless our mission or missions would require time. Understood?"

"Hear that, teme? We might even get another mission!"

"Missions preferably higher in rank than our usual. Isn't that great, Sasuke-kun?" Sakura and Naruto received another monosyllable reply from the stoic Uchiha. With that, Sasuke began to walk away from the grounds, followed by Naruto.

"Oi teme! How 'bout some ramen? Your treat!" Sasuke kept walking, a 'No.' in his own way. But to Naruto, well... "Great! Thanks, teme! I'm starving! Bye bye, Sakura-chan! Good luck with your training! Oi, teme, wait up!" Soon, both boys were long gone.

'I should've asked Sasuke-kun if he wanted to wait for me. Aw, I missed my chance! Stupid Naruto should have kept his mouth shut so that I could ask him. But then again, Sasuke-kun would've said no...' Her face softened in an unexplainable sadness. 'Somehow, he's cold when I know he's really just being nice. He's just like...' Her eyes widened in her train of thoughts. 'Just like who? What am I talking about?'

"Sakura-chan, you're... punishment needs time to be done. You'll end by evening at the rate you're going." Kakashi's voice stopped her train and soon, she was on the ground pondering on what probably seemed to be one of her crazy days.

* * *

The next morning, Cell Seven went straight from their meeting bridge to the Hokage's office. In their seats were the Hokage himself as well as a boy with dark brown hair and equally chocolate brown eyes. "So, you want a higher-ranked mission?" Hiruzen sat with a pipe in his mouth. The seriousness of an old man was clear as day in his eyes. Beside him, Xiao Lang sat in between annoyance and confusion. Shinobi declining their duty was making a lot more work than he should have.

"I'm sorry, but from what I have read in your profiles, you are only rookies in this line of business. I advise that you three work your way up with simple tasks." Xiao Lang said calmly. That got him a glare from the three gennins, in which he returned with a stoic blink, but his eyes traveled over to the girl with pink hair. 'Her name is Haruno Sakura, huh? Sakura...'

"You can't just tell me what to do! Who the hell are you anyway?! We're getting the crappiest duties around here, y'know!" Naruto's outburst caused him to travel his thoughts back to the objective at hand. His eyes darkened at the blonde's rudeness.

"He is my secretary, Li Xiao Lang. Well, Xiao-kun, what do you suppose we should do?" Hiruzen inwardly smiled. He noticed the leadership present in Xiao Lang, and Xiao Lang had reached up to his expectations in just three days of working hard for him. Xiao Lang paused to think before answering.

"Perhaps, Hokage-sama, they could take a C-Rank mission. I understand that jounins take A-class missions, chuunins take B-Rank and C-Rank missions, and gennins take C-Rank and D-Rank missions. Although they are a fresh batch of genin, they have successfully shown progress these past few weeks and there are no complaints from their clients. In their persistence, they are lucky to have a C-Rank mission at hand instead of an argument. Will that be alright, Hokage-sama?" Somehow, calling him grandpa before everyone was rather disconcerting, and no matter what Hiruzen says to him about that title, Xiao Lang could not bring himself to call him grandfather outside of home. Another knowing twinkle in Hiruzen's eyes was not missed by Xiao Lang.

"Very well. Cell Seven," The three gennins straightened. "You will have a C-Rank mission to protect a certain individual. Xiao-kun, will you please call the client inside?" Xiao Lang nodded and stood to open the door. Sakura's eyes followed his figure.

'He looks familiar... I think I know him... Li Xiao Lang... I've heard of that before...' Her eyes widened in a realization. 'My dream! He was there! He was that boy! Can it be just a coincidence? Damn it, I think I'm just thinking too hard. What do you think, Inner?' A silent conversation left her in confusion and full of thoughts as an old man with a dark sleeveless shirt, checkered pants, a huge backpack behind him, a white rope-like garment around his head, half-styled glasses and a bottle of sake in his hand stood arrogantly before them.

"What's this? They're all a bunch of brats. Especially that short one with that stupid-looking face. You brat really even a ninja?" With Tazuna's comment, Naruto looked around with a laughing expression on his face.

"Hahaha! Who's the shortest one with the stupid face?" He looked up at both a stoic Uchiha and a slightly disconcerted Sakura. Then it dawned upon him. "I'LL KILL YOU, YOU OLD MAN!!" Kakashi restrained him with a sweatdrop.

"There is no point in killing the person you are supposed to protect, Naruto. Calm yourself." And with that, Cell Seven including Kakashi and the bridge-builder Tazuna left with Naruto full of killing intent, a blank look on the Uchiha, and a Sakura who continued to ponder on the chestnut-haired boy from her dream. Xiao Lang gave her a last glance before returning back to his paperwork.

'Sakura...'

* * *

**Author's Note:** I'm really very sorry for the rather slow update! I've been making questionnaires for my research paper, which I need to get to graduation! I wonder why they created it in the first place. I hate researches like these... Anyway, how was it? I'll try to update soon, but I doubt it since my research's defense is on the first week of February. Oh, I'm just typing as it goes but I have a clear idea on what elements I want to place in my plot. Reviews are welcome! Thanks for reading! ^_^


	4. Chapter Three

**Disclaimer**: I have yet to acquire Naruto and Cardcaptor Sakura. The probability of my success is sadly zero percent.

**Text Legend**:

Narrator Text

_Dream Text_

"Spoken Text"

'Thought Text'

_**Flashback Text**_

________________________________________________________________________

**Longing – Chapter Three**

She was scared shitless. She stood there as though frozen by time. Everything happened so fast. They were just walking out from the village with exchanged insults coming from Naruto and the bridge builder Tazuna, reassurances from Kakashi as well as a lesson about the different Kage along the way, which Sakura enjoyed, and a good few minutes later, Kakashi was wrapped by chains then ripped apart, his spilt blood and torn flesh like a dying shadow. Sakura breathed heavily as the cloaked men with sickles and chains went behind Naruto.

"Two down." She could here them say. She couldn't move as much as she wanted to. She wanted to get Naruto out of there. Yet fear took over her. The chains were coming closer to Naruto and all she could do was watch, no voice coming out from her open lips. And just about when the chains were wrapped around her blond teammate, Sasuke came high from the air between the two men and deflected both their sickles with a few kunai into the tree. But they weren't safe yet as the Demon Brothers closed their fingers armed with sharp claws together, giving their hands a rather sharp edge, one to Naruto and the other aiming for Sakura and the bridge builder behind her.

"Sir, please stay back!" Armed with a kunai, she tried to think quickly of how to counter the enemy's speed and get Naruto out of harm's way, but all thoughts were lost as she found Sasuke in front of her. Her vision of his back blurred into a boy with chocolate brown hair.

"_Sakura, stay back!"_

"Sasu...Xiao..." The enemy was now getting ever so close. The tip of his weapon was just two meters away from being thrust into Sasuke's front. "No... TIME!!" Tears flowed down her eyes from and for fear as she screamed.

* * *

Somewhere back in Konoha, Xiao Lang, buried deep into the Hokage's paperwork, didn't notice a small pink glow fly from his pocket and onto the sky.

* * *

She hadn't realized that both the opponents' movements have slowed. Still in tears, the only thought in her head was of the incoming death that was yet to come. She still couldn't move, yet her legs were shaking. And in a blink of an eye, Kakashi was in front of them holding both the enemies in each arm. All three gennins had then realized that their sensei had used the replacement technique and was actually just well and alive.

Slightly disconcerted, Sakura stared at the two Hidden Mist chuunins, as she learned from Kakashi, tied around a tree. Cell Seven had also learned from Tazuna's confession that he was actually being targeted by an extremely wealthy man named Gatou and their supposedly safe mission was a rank lower than it actually was. Naruto was still pissed at himself not being able to move with the fear and shock during the ambush while Sasuke had been as calm and cool as he usually was, and so was even more determined to continue this mission, no matter what dangers could come.

Sakura was scared. She didn't like them hurt. She didn't like not being able to do anything for them. She thrust her hand into her pocket and felt the smooth surface of the Time card. 'This is... I think I own this. Where did this come from...?' She, in her own inner world, temporarily forgot about the dangers that will come soon in her questions. Little did she know, two very observant shinobi in her team noticed the sudden lack of speed from the opponents a little earlier and shared the same thought.

'Sakura did something... Does she have an advanced bloodline?' Their curiosity was left unsatisfied... for a while, at least.

* * *

Sakura's mood was soon lifted with Naruto's illogical actions with a blade, nearly killing a porcupine and then a rabbit along the way. And as quick as it was lifted, as quick was it to fade as Zabuza appeared standing on his sword that was half-way through a tree trunk. Many more surprises came in that day. Cell Seven learned more than just their sensei's name. Even with the intensity of Zabuza's intent upon the three inexperienced gennin, a sense of sanctuary breathed upon them as Kakashi told them not to worry.

"I don't let any of my comrades die." He said it with a smile and staring at that smiling face through the mask, Sakura admired her sensei for once beyond his eternal tardiness and unspoken-yet-read libido. But it was too soon. Zabuza appeared from the mist behind the three gennin, separating them from their contractor. And just as Zabuza swung his sword, Sakura thought to protect herself, all of them, from the Demon of the Mist. 'Shield... Mist, gather up the rest of the mist and minimize it.' The commands in her head was so natural and though her mind had no idea what she was doing, her heart just told her to just do it. Two pink-glowing cards appeared before her, their sprites appearing to bow to do her bidding before her then dispersed into the air. She could feel her own power quickly draining. And the last thing she saw was the sky, then darkness as she fell to the ground.

'Mistress!' She felt herself enveloped in a warmth that was not only her own.

* * *

Sakura opened her eyes to a white ceiling. Her body felt sore, yet the memories of what happened earlier rushed into her head and she sat up, eyes frantically scanning for her sensei and teammates as well as their contractor. She was in a bedroom; a dark-haired woman loomed over her. Turning her head, she could see her sensei beside her, a lone eye open. Then the soreness spread through her body and she felt it, causing her to lie back down.

"Are you alright, Sakura-chan? How about you, sensei?" The woman said.

"Ah! Sakura-chan's awake!" Naruto's shadow was over her. "Look, teme! She's okay!" She could see him turn his head, then back to her. "Sakura-chan, you shouldn't just faint like that! You scared me, y'know?"

"Sakura-chan?" Kakashi's worried tone woke her up from her pain.

"W-Where...?" Her throat felt parched. "W-Water..." Seeing her distress, Naruto handed her a glass of water. It felt cool to her throat as she drank the liquid. "What happened?"

"Well, before Kakashi-sensei could finish off that Zabuza guy, some Mist Hunter-nin kid killed him and took him. More importantly, you okay now, Sakura-chan? You sorta just fainted there. You're not sick are you?" She could see the worry in his beautiful blue pools. Somewhere in her head, she just wanted to hug him then and there for his cuteness, but the soreness of her body refrained her from doing so.

"I'm fine. I think I lacked some oxygen being in the mist and all that. Ahahaha!" she laughed. "A Hunter-nin took Zabuza's corpse?" Never had she felt useless. Her hand unconsciously moved into her pocket and she felt the smooth texture of the cards, _her_ cards. 'Three of them now, huh? How many more are there? This... my own mystery helped me live and save somehow... What am I?' The distance in her eyes suddenly snapped back into reality. "Kakashi-sensei!" She sat up again staring at her bedridden teacher. Kakashi's lone eye expressed something grim.

"I know, Sakura-chan." The other occupants in the room looked at the pair expectantly.

"What's going on, Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked. Sakura looked at Naruto, Sasuke, Tazuna, and his daughter Tsunami warily.

"I-I read somewhere that Hunter-nin are supposed to dispose of the body on the spot, not take it somewhere. Naruto, are you sure Zabuza was killed?"

"Well, yeah! Me and teme saw Kakashi-sensei check that brow less freak's pulse. Sensei said he was dead. I think he should be, after taking those senbon needles into the neck." With Naruto's statement, Sakura's, Kakashi's, and Sasuke's eyes widened.

"Zabuza's alive then..." Sasuke muttered darkly.

"Didn't you hear me, teme?! I just said we saw him dead!"

"Naruto, the needles need to be very precise to injure a person, or kill for that matter. But using needles to some parts of the body can cause a temporary death, much like what probably happened to Zabuza." Kakashi slowly sat up from his bed. 'I can't believe I missed this...' He slowly shook his head. "Well, nothing to worry about at the moment. With Zabuza still alive, it's highly unlikely that Gatou would hire stronger men. Zabuza may attack again in a few days after his body has finally recovered from his temporary death state. You three need to prepare for that. And since I can barely move right now, you three will do some do-it-yourself training here! Isn't that great? Well, Sakura can rest for two more days." Three simultaneous groans were heard in the room.

"Sensei, I'll be fine! Bring on the training!" Sakura had a fist up in the air, so had Naruto. And Sasuke... was impassive.

* * *

She stared at the cards in her hands. "Who am I really?" She questioned in the air. Time, Mist and Shield. 'I must call the others...'

'Mistress?' A voice in her mind spoke.

"Who...?" A knock was heard before the unknown one's voice replied.

"Sakura? Naruto's still tired from straining his body last night so he won't be coming with us today. Kakashi-sensei said that we should go to the bridge now." Sasuke's voice came from behind the door.

"Uh...yeah... Coming, Sasuke-kun!" Smiling, she hurried her way to the entrance of the house.

* * *

**Author's Note:** I know. It's rather short. And uneventful. T_T I'm really sorry! I can't seem to think of anything to put. I'll promise you a better and a longer chapter next! Please read and review! Oh, and grammatical/spelling errors will be fixed **after **I finish this fic. :D Please bear with me, thank you! ^_^


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